Wildlife

Lines on the flanks of the eland

12 September 2013

QUESTION:

Why are there no white lines on the flanks of the eland in the video?

ANSWER:

The lack of vertical white lines on the flanks confirm that these eland represent the southern African subspecies Taurotragus oryx oryx as opposed to Taurotragus oryx livingstonei of Botswana and Namibia which has 8 or more white lines on the flanks, while the giant, or Lord Derby’s, eland Taurotragus derbianus of West Africa has 14 vertical white lines on the flanks. (see a photo of a Livingston eland, -photo by pymat.co.za)